US President Donald Trump has issued a new executive order regarding the H-1B visa. Now the visa fee has been increased to 1 lakh dollars i.e. 88 lakhs. The last date to implement it is 21 September. This decision has the biggest impact on Indian H-1B visa holders, because about 70% of these people are Indians.
This rule is a shock, especially for companies that hire Indian IT professionals in large numbers. 70% of the total H-1B visa holders are Indians. However, some exemption has also been given in this order, which will not affect everyone.
Who will have to pay 1 million dollars?
According to the new order, if a company wants to apply for an H-1B visa for an employee from outside the US, then it will first have to give proof that it has paid a fee of 1 million dollars. This rule is not for visa holders, but for companies giving them jobs.
An American official has clarified that the fee of $ 1 lakh is only for new visa holders, the current visa holders do not have to pay this fee. Those who are going to America in a hurry from India do not need to reach there before Sunday or pay a fee of $ 1 lakh.
Who will not be charged?
In some cases, exemption has been given regarding visa fee. The current H-1B visa holder, who are currently living in America, will not have to pay this fee. But if a H-1B visa holder has been out of America for more than 12 months, then he will have to return to America before 21 September 2025, otherwise you will have to pay 1 million dollars.
If a company or its employee is associated with America’s national security, economic interest or public good, then the Home Safety Secretary can exempt it from the fee. If an employee works in defense, health or any necessary technical field, which benefits America, then it will not have to pay this fee.
Indians will be affected the most
In the year 2024, about 71% of the H-1B visa applications were from Indians. Most of them were professionals working in the IT sector. Therefore, the impact of the new rule will be the highest on Indians. Trump’s new order is up to 12 months. It can also be increased later.
What did India say?
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said that the government has seen the respective reports on the US H1B visa program. All the aspects of this report are being studied. This decision of America can make many families difficult. We hope that the American Authority will focus on the solution of this difficulty.
What did Trump argue?
Trump says that the objective of the H-1B visa was to bring high skills workers in the US, but it has been misused. Companies used this visa to bring foreign workers on low salary and to fill the place of American citizens. Trump believes that the new rules will not endanger the job of American people and only true talent will get a chance to come to America.
Can Trump’s order stay in court?
Its possibility is rarely seen, but many legal experts say that the fee of $ 1 lakh on the H-1B visa can be against the law. Former US Immigration Service officer Dug Rand said that the matter of charging so much fees will not last even 5 seconds in the court. Another former officer Tom Getz said that the law of the country does not work like this.
